Rohingya diaspora calls for probe into Myanmar 'genocide'

June 14, 2013

Radio Australia

European MPs have jointly condemned the violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, and called on the government to do more to protect them.

The European Parliament has passed a motion saying it condemns the grave violations of human rights against the Muslim minority in Rakhine state.

The motion says it "deplores the failure of the Myanmar government to protect the Rohingyas against organised violence."

The Rohingya diaspora has welcomed the motion, but has also called for an international investigation into what they call a 'genocide'.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Nurul Islam, president, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, London

NURUL ISLAM: This is very encouraging and we're very much thankful to the European parliament for adopting this resolution, and we take it as a proper encouragement for the Rohingyah people.

LAM: Do you think it might improve the situation for them?

NURUL ISLAM: No, it depends actually... we hope so, but the Burmese government is very much uncompromising, sometimes, in the case of the Rohingya people, that's what we're afraid of. It is time for the international and the investigation is necessary, in fact. That is very important, because there's an Enquiry Commission formed internally by the Burmese government, but it is completely biased. The world knows it. And that will not bring any solution.

The recommendation given by the internal commission, is against the Rohingya people. And there're lots of reports by the credible international organisations, like Human Rights Watch and there's evidence of mass graves in Arakan (Rakhine state). But these are needed to be investigated, for these and other things, like the great humanitarian crisis that's existing. And the segregation that's going on there, apartheid policy has been imposed. And the two-child policy - this is a very discriminatory policy that has been imposed.

We need international intervention, with a UN Commission of Enquiry. We would prefer to call it a 'genocide' because the intention to destroy our people is very much established. In that sense, you can consider it a case of genocide. With international jurisdiction - for these, even the responsibility to protect these people is an international responsibility - we in the international communities. In that sense, the international community should intervene and the (Rohingya) peoples are protected.

LAM: Senior monks in Yangon have called for peace at a monastery in Yangon. Do you think the Buddhist clergy is doing enough to curb anti-Muslim, and particularly, anti-Rohingya violence?

NURUL ISLAM: They can have discussions on this but the way they're going, to do things. Who's leading the controversial 'nine-six-nine' movement? This is a movement against the Rohingya people in particular, and the Muslims in general. Until now, although this 'nine-sixty-nine movement' has done many injuries. Although it is injurious to the Muslim community, the government has until now, taken no action against them.

Whatever changes, whatever democratic reforms take place in the country, it is important that good sense prevails in the minds of the government, number one.

Number two, this is the good sense prevailing in the minds of the majority Buddhis community, and then, the democratic and the parliamentary and political process in the country should be all-inclusive, and the Rohingya must be a part of it, otherwise, we don't hold hope or change the circumstances of the Rohingya people. Because, you know, we are a people, with a history and glorious past.

We are not a floating people or infiltrators from foreign countries, as they (the government) allege. But we have our roots deeply-rooted in Arakan (Rakhine state) and therefore, to Burma. So our citizenship rights and our ethnic rights must be guaranteed, must be ensured in Burma.

Myanmar's displaced Rohingya face rains threat: UN

Photo: Muslim Rohingya walk around the Bawdupha Internally Displaced Persons camp on the outskirts of Sittwe, the capital of Myanmar's western Rakhine state. (Soe Than Win: AFP)

March 29, 2013

ABC/AFP

The UN has warned tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in squalid, flood-prone camps in western Myanmar face "imminent danger" from looming monsoon rains.

An estimated 125,000 Rohingya and other Muslims have languished in insanitary camps since violence flared last year with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, leaving scores dead and whole neighbourhoods in ruins.

John Ging from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is calling on Myanmar's government to take action now "to prevent a predictable tragedy".

"The gravity and urgency of the situation cannot be overstated," he said.

"Community and religious leaders also have a major role in promoting a culture of peace and mutual respect in multicultural and multi-ethnic Myanmar."

The monsoon season is expected to start in May and Mr Ging is urging the government to release new land for camps and to help rebuild community relations after spreading anti-Muslim violence in central Myanmar this month.

His comments follow allegations by rights groups that humanitarian aid to the Rohingya is being restricted by Myanmar's authorities.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, says curbs on relief to the camps are creating a "crisis that will become a disaster when the rainy season arrives".

Mr Robertson says Myanmar's leaders seem intent on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camps rather than planning for them to return to their homes.

He also warns heavy rains are likely to spread waterborne diseases among vulnerable camp residents.

Medical aid agency Doctors Without Borders has said a lack of clean drinking water in the camps has caused skin infections, worms, chronic coughing and diarrhoea, while many malnourished people are going without urgent medical care.

'Enough Shelter'

Earlier this month, Myanmar presidential spokesman U Ye Htut told Australia Network's Newsline program the shelter at the camps was adequate.

"I think most of the people are still living in the camp but they have enough shelter and food supply for the rainy season," he said.

His comments followed UN Special Rapporteur Tomás Ojea Quintana's report which recommended the Rohingya be integrated into communities "to avoid a humanitarian disaster" during the rainy season.

Thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar in recent months on rickety boats, mostly believed to be heading for Malaysia.

Myanmar views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and denies them citizenship.

The country's Rakhine state suffered two bouts of deadly sectarian violence last year between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.

The fighting has divided the community and led to Rohingya Muslims being separated into temporary camps.

In central Myanmar, the country's Muslims have been targeted by violence led by Buddhist mobs since March 20. 

At least 40 people have been killed and mosques burned in several towns, prompting the government to impose emergency rule and curfews in some areas.

Source:Here

UN urges Burmese government to address rights abuses

26 December 2012
ABC Radio Australia

The UN General Assembly has once again expressed serious concern over the violence between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in Burma.
UN urges Burmese government to address rights abuses | Connect Asia | ABC Radio Australia

UN urges Burmese government to address rights abuses (Credit: ABC) 

The 193 nations approved by concensus, on monday, a non binding resolution calling on the Burmese government to address reports of human rights abuses by some authorities.
Allegations which Naypidaw says are inaccurate and unverified.
Nurul Islam the president of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation based in London says the atrocities against his people are perpetrated not just by some in Burma.
Correspondent: Kanaha Sabapathy
Speaker: Nurul Islam, President, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, London

ISLAM: We support the resolution but I don't agree on the find that some of the authorities. The government is completely responsible for all that has been happening, because what is happening against the Rohingya people in Arakan is sponsored by the government.

SABAPATHY: So you're not only blaming this on the security forces as such?

ISLAM: Yeah this is police, security forces, the soldiers, they are perpetrating human rights violations and the killings and the rapes and forcing the people out of their homes, all this has been done by them in collaboration with the extremists in Rakhine.

SABAPATHY: Another identical resolution was actually approved last month by the General Assembly's Third Committee. That resolution was accepted by Burma's mission to the United Nations. But interestingly enough the UN representative there objected to the Rohingyas being referred to as a minority. So they say there's no such thing as a Rohingya ethnic group?

ISLAM: Yeah they are lying you know. The Rohingya were recognised as an ethnic group during the parliament and government, which ruled that country from 1948 up to the 1962 military takeover. We are one of the recognised ethnic communities of the country. It means that they want to establish the false allegations against us that they have of us being Bangladeshi immigrants. They want to prove it.

SABAPATHY: But Burmese UN representative there says that the government has not denied the right of citizenship to anyone who is entitled to citizenship under the law of the land. So what is the situation like for the Rohingyas? Do you all have citizenship rights?

ISLAM: No they have completely deprived our citizenship rights, even to the extent that now we have by 1982 citizenship law, which is the most oppressive citizenship law, rendering our people as stateless , of our homeland, and they have not restored our citizenship yet. Although we are very much part of the Burma society, Arakan society they're not going to accept that, only on the grounds that we are Muslims and we are ethnically different from them.

SABAPATHY: So what is the situation like there for the Rohingyas?

ISLAM: We don't have any kinds of rights or freedom in the country, this started right from 1962. For the case of basic freedom has been restricted, like freedom of movement, education and marriage and social and cultural activities, all these have been banned. During the violence start from June, and again October, all this is a plan to exterminate the remaining population of the Rohingyas, completely backed by the government.

SABAPATHY: So what's happened to these people who have been recently displaced from their homes?

ISLAM: The situation is very bad, according to UNHCR you have about 115-thousand people in displacement. But the independent observer estimated to be around 200-thousand. But 95 per cent of these people are the Rohingyas, and about five per cent are Rakhine. But these Rohingyas were forced to live in segregation, that means most of these people have got no shelter, and their houses destroyed, they have been out of a home and still some of the people are living under open skies. And those who have been sheltered in refugee camps, the camp conditions are very squalid, over-crowded, no sanitation, no adequate water, children are vulnerable, no school or education, and no medical facilities. And if you study the camp situation of the Muslim Rohingya and the Rakhine, then you can see what the difference is. The five per cent Rakhine, they have got everything in abundance, it's a complete new apartheid policy they are practising.